Been a busy for me latley. I'm starting spring semester in college so updates may come a little bit slower than usual, but most likely not by much.

Anyway here's the next Chapter, make sure to pay CLOSE ATTENTION and read this one carefully.

Hope you guys are enjoying the story!

Chapter 8: Unspoken Truths

...Connection Re-Established...

"The Kids Next Door are in disarray are now in full retreat to the Moon Base, I expect you to fulfill your part of the bargain once this is over."

Father glared at a screen showing a shadowed out face of another person.

"Excellent, what about the girl I told you about?" the face replied.

"She's in the Arctic Base I believe, what does she matter to you anyway?"

"Oh, let's just say she managed to escape one of my… experiments…." The figure grinned widely.

*Present Day*

…As the remnants of the KND are in full retreat to the Moon Base, Father's forces continue to advance closer and closer to the Arctic Base, the KND's last stronghold on Earth...

A frantic Nigel runs at full speed to the command post, signaling operatives nearby to abandon their defensive positions and report immediately to the main dock.

"Rachel, we need to pull back and regroup on the Moon Base, Father's armies are advancing at an alarming rate, and we are sustaining heavy casualties". Upon hearing this report, she sighed, putting her hands on a desk containing a map showing the positions of ally forces that still remained on Earth.

"Nigel, this war has escalated for far too long and has produced nothing but unimaginable suffering and loss, I hear reports of soldiers surrendering their posts all over the world, even going so far as abandoning them all together. The news of our seemingly imminent defeat is causing many to lose hope".

Rachel took a breath once more and began to look down at her feet.

"And it's partly my fault. I ignored all the early warnings, and have failed miserably as a Supreme Leader."

Nigel stared at his commander, he hadn't seen her in this much doubt since the I.T incident. He then took a deep breath and proceeded to respond in a soft and uplifting voice.

"You're a great leader and we need you more than ever. There's still a chance we can win this war, kids all over the world are depending on you"

Rachel looked up and gazed directly at Nigel. She always admired the way he somehow seemed to bring other people's spirits up, even her own.

"Thanks Nigel… I just hope you're right."

The back of the command post suddenly erupted into flames, and the guards in the room immediately pointed their guns at the newly created entrance.

Several seconds later, bullets emerged from the cloud of dust, taking out of most of the guards. The rain of bullets was followed by several figures wearing black robes and gas masks that were combined with their helmets, as well as military grade armor. On their armbands, the Earth with an eye in the middle could be seen.

One of the guards ran towards Rachel.

"Supreme Leader please get…."

A sword went right through the guard, and Rachel and Nigel stood there in disbelief.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here, if it isn't the Supreme Commander of the famous Kids Next Door." The teen that stabbed the guard said.

He wore a tightly kept grey uniform and a grey officer hat that had the same insignia that Numbuh 624 described. Rachel also spotted a golden bracelet on his wrist.

It was indeed, the same figure she'd heard about and encountered herself.

"Who the hell are you?" Nigel shouted, aiming a M.U.S.K.E.T at the stranger.

"Please, just address me as "Chamenos." The teen responded.

"Are you aware of a Serena Teramaine, code number 900?" Chamenos added.

"If we did, we'll never tell you." Nigel stated boldly, now on the verge of pulling trigger of his M.U.S.K.E.T

Chamenos sighed, and turned back to join his men.

"Well then, it was nice meeting you two famous operatives, but now it is time to say good bye."

He then signaled his men to fire their guns.

Suddenly and without warning, several darts pierced the armor of some of Chamenos' soldiers, killing them instantly.

A short girl suddenly dropped from the ceiling, killing most of the unknown enemy soldiers with two 2x4 hand guns and a samurai styled sword.

"Well, who is this may I ask?" the teen stated, unaffected by the casualties around him.

Chamenos looked at her bracelet; it was the same one he was wearing.

"Where… where did you get that?" he stood in utter disbelief, letting his guard down in the process. A long suppressed memory suddenly entered his head.

Serena looked up at the teen, and taking note of his vulnerability ran straight towards him.

"I'm sorry." Serena whispered before she knocked him out cold with her bare fists.

Rachel and Nigel stared at Serena in shock.

"Well are you two just going to stand there? The last ship leaves in 5 minutes!"

The three quickly ran down the halls that lead to the main dock, fighting Father's soldiers who now managed to get into the base on the way.

"Who the hell were those people?" questioned Rachel while running down the hall dodging bullets.

"No time, I'll explain everything on the Moon Base, I promise."

Rachel nodded, accepting that now wasn't the most appropriate time to have a conversation.

"Look ahead! The entrance to the main dock is just twenty feet away!" Nigel pointed, making sure Rachel and Serena were keeping up with him.

"I'm surprised I still haven't gotten used these types of situations." Muttered Rachel, as all three of them ran through the entrance of the main dock.

As they entered, a lone S.C.A.M.P.E.R and several operatives hiding behind cover were awaiting, firing back at enemy soldiers.

"About time you showed up!" Numbuh 60 shouted, waiting at the ship's entrance.

"Numbuh 1!" Kuki yelled, along with the rest of Sector V.

"What the?! I thought I told you guys to leave on the next flight out!"

"You really think we'd just leave you like that?" Numbuh 5 stated.

"And Numbuh 60 what are you still doing here?! I thought you retreated with everyone else!" Rachel exclaimed, surprised that one of the most important commanders of the KND was in the middle of a fire fight.

"You'd be the one to say that Supreme Leader." He teased and helped the three of them on board.

"The rest of you guys! Get on the ship, we're out of here!"

Sector V and the other infantrymen quickly boarded the S.C.A.M.P.E.R while firing back at Father's approaching soldiers.

"Get us out of here Numbuh 2!" Patton shouted.

"Hear you loud and clear boss." Numbuh 2 then pushed the ships throttle, launching them out of the hangar's exit.

Several anti-air gun emplacements awaiting near the hangar fired at them, but had no effect.

The ship zoomed up into orbit along with the rest of the Kids Next Door.

"Close call." Serena muttered to herself.

"Yeah…" Rachel responded back, regaining her breath.

"Don't forget that you have some explaining to do once we reach the Moon Base."

"Yeah, I know." Serena said back, now gazing at the world below.

Shortly after, they neared the Moon Base they were greeted by several space fighter patrols.

"State your code name S.C.A.M.P.E.R" the squadron leader transmissioned to Numbuh 2's radio.

"This is Numbuh 2 of Sector V, I have several operatives onboard, including the Supreme Leader herself."

"Hear you loud and clear Numbuh 2, permission to enter Moon Base orbital space granted."

The fighters then zoomed off to their regular patrol.

As they neared the Base all the operatives turned to look out through the S.C.A.M.P.E.R's window.

The Moon's space ports were repairing damaged cruisers and retrofitting previously decommissioned Gihugeacarriers as well as other ships.

During the short lived peace after the Grand Father incident, the Kids Next Door believed that the age of large scale warfare was now over, and that they no longer needed to maintain a large navy. This led to the creation of several "ghost fleets" which a waited in Earth's orbit near the Moon just in case their services were required again.

Now was the time to re-commission those fleets, which composed of 100's if not 1000's of ships.

"Never would've thought we'd need those fleets again." Rachel thought to herself as they entered into the Moon Base's main dock.

They were welcomed by Numbuh 86, still shouting at everyone in sight.

"Supreme Leader Sir!" She saluted.

"What's the status report Numbuh 86?" Rachel responded, hoping that the Moon Base wasn't already falling apart during her absence.

"All three remainin' carriers are reportin' in, and the rest of the KND seems to be her' as well."

"Good." Rachel said.

Nigel then walked out with Numbuh 900, Patton and the rest of Sector V following close behind.

"Well looks like I'll be going back to commanding some of the troops. " Patton waved before walking off.

The rest of Sector V also broke off, with Numbuh 2 going to the repair bay, Numbuh 4 manning the defenses, and Numbuh 3 going to the medic's bay to help treat any wounded operatives.

"Guess Numbuh 5 will leave y'all behind, probably some top secret stuff you bouta discuss anyway. See ya in a bit Numbuh 1, and you too Numbuh 362."

She looked at Numbuh 362 then winked at Numbuh 1.

"Ugh! When this is over Numbuh 5 I swear…"

Suddenly he heard someone giggle, it was Rachel.

"What's so funny?!"

"Nothing." Rachel said in an adorable voice.

Straightening her thoughts, she turned her attention to Numbuh 900.

"Fanny, assign some of your guards to stay posted around the interrogation room while me and Nigel question her. If she manages to escape, I want you to capture her and put her under immediate decommissioning."

Fanny grinned. "Of course, Numbuh 362 sir."

The two entered a large room. In the middle of the room a table and several chairs were present.

"Serena take a seat." Rachel commanded.

Nigel leaned in the corner of the room, keeping a constant watch on her.

As all three of them got situated, Rachel began her interrogation.

"Explain to me, why was your team assigned to destroy a facility in the Arctic?"

Serena hesitated, but then began to answer.

"You want the long or short story?" Serena slouched in her seat.

"I want to know all the details."

"Fine" the brown hair girl straitened her body on the seat and began to talk.

"A little over a year ago a right-wing extremist group known as the "The Hasayans" branched up within the Kids Next Door in secret.

"What do they have to do with anything?" Rachel pounded her fists impatiently on the table

"Let me finish." Muttered Serena.

"Well, this group was committed to the total indoctrination of children all over the world, and eventually hoped to do the same to the adults. They believed in total subordination of the human race, starting with children."

"Why children?" questioned Rachel.

"Children's minds are much more susceptible to manipulation, and at a young age have no concept of moral's or value's.

"I see, continue." Gestured Rachel.

"Well despite this group being a super minority within the Kids Next Door due to their radical views, they managed to gain support from several scientists within our ranks and began to experiment in total secrecy."

"Wait, so basically what your telling me is that a group of extremists managed to branch up in this organization out of plain sight the same time I became Supreme Leader?!"

"Pretty much."

Rachel was furious, she'd never heard of such developments. She looked back at Nigel who shrugged.

"Why wasn't I informed of this, I'm the Commander-in-Chief of this establishment for Pete Sake."

"That you are, but Global Command thought it best if they could cover this whole fiasco up. This is where I and my team come in." Serena was on the verge to continue before Rachel put her hand up and asked another question.

"Ok, well now before we continue on that subject, who was that boy who was wearing the same golden bracelet as you? Rachel asked eyes now focused on the girl.

The short girl paused, and looked at her bracelet. Deep inside her painful old memories began to conjure up.

"His… His name was Aiden, code number 313."

"What sector?" Rachel asked.

"We weren't really a sector, but rather a group of elite operatives, you should know."

"Oh, you're part of S.R.S.S.T huh?"

Serena nodded.

Nigel interrupted, "Uh, excuse me but what exactly does that stand for?"

"Special Retrieval and Surgical Strike Team, their purpose is to partake in black operations or missions that are otherwise deemed too dangerous for regular operatives."

"Oh, let me guess, kind of a secret branch of the Kids Next Door like the TND right?" he responded back.

"Sorta." Rachel continued.

"The S.R.S.S.T is well-known, but most of the missions they participate in are top secret and are known only by a select few including myself. The TND works in the same way, except they are more recon and espionage and are unknown to most operatives.

"I see." Nigel rubbed his chin.

"Were Numbuh 789, Numbuh 222, and Numbuh 624 part of this group?" Nigel added.

Rachel nodded. "Anyway, enough side tracking, please continue Serena. We were talking about that boy wearing the bracelet."

Serena took a deep breath.

"Well… me and him, Aiden were close friend, everyone in S.R.S.S.T thought we were practically going out. When we were on missions we always looked out for each other, he had my back and I had his. He believed in honor and honesty and was always very keen on committing himself to the organization, not much different than you Supreme Leader." She paused.

"Deep down inside, me and him always had feelings for each other, and I took it upon myself that one day I'd tell him… sadly that day never came.

"What exactly happened?" Rachel asked eagerly.

"We were assigned to a mission. The task was simple, destroy the base and neutralize all occupants inside. We were briefed that the security was high, but nothing we couldn't handle." She sighed, everything became so vivid again, like what she experienced happened just yesterday.

"Me and Aiden and a team of four other operatives infiltrated the facility. At first everything was going as planned, we managed to get in undetected as well as snuff out the scientists… Suddenly right when we were beginning to plant the explosives on the foundation of the structure, we were ambushed by a group of men bearing the same uniforms you two encountered."

"What happened next?" Rachel questioned, trying to get to the bottom of everything once and for all.

"The four other operatives were severely wounded or killed, me and Aiden were captured."

Suddenly Serena felt like a dagger stabbed her right in the heart.

"We were brought to a large room, with a large circular chamber in the middle. As we kneeled down our arms bind behind our backs, we were greeted by a young teen; he called himself "Leader". He wore a jet black uniform with a medal of the Earth with an eye in the middle under a long black robe. He was the one behind everything and head of the Hasayans."

She took a deep breath, and the girl entered a deep flashback. The next part she could remember was full of pain and heartbreak.

"He wanted us to play some sick game of his, and whoever won would be allowed to leave while the other would be doomed to be experimented on using that cold machine of his."

"Machine? What did it do? And what game?" Rachel interrupted.

"It was a new invention that he and the traitorous scientists worked on. Unlike Delightfulization converters, which made one an empty shell and soulless, this one was much more sinister. This chamber, suppressed the memories of an individual, and allowed the person in control to insert any mental or physical ability he so chose, whether it be super strength, intelligence, and so on. It also gave the individual the ability to somewhat think on their own, while still being under the control of the master, making them much more dangerous than delightfulized children."

Serena continued, emotions began pouring out of her.

"And as for the game, it involved two people playing a game of cards, whoever managed to draw an Ace first won. In essence our lives were hanging on a single thread of luck."

"And you won huh…?" Rachel stated, now feeling Serena's emotions in the room.

A tear slowly fell from Serena's face, proceeded by a couple more.

"No… he won."

Serena began stuttering.

"I was scared, I didn't know what to do. About several seconds later, as Hasayan soldiers were about to throw me into the chamber Aiden spoke up. He said he'd take my place instead. As soon as Leader heard this, he laughed, the most coldest and hellish laugh I've ever heard in my life. I begged Aiden that he should let me go instead, but he refused. Leader then commanded his guards to put me down and instead put Aiden in the chamber…"

Tears flooded out of Serena's eyes.

"After he put him in the chamber I witnessed a bright light emerge from the windows. The entrance to the chamber opened and I saw Aiden… except he wasn't the same person I've known for so long. His eyes had produced a devilish stare and the aura around him made me turn away, it felt soulless. Leader then turned to me and said "Your turn", despite promising one of us could go free." She tried to recount the next thing that happened.

"I then pleaded, asking what was the point of playing his stupid game if both of us were going to suffer the same fate anyway. Leader just laughed, stating that he enjoyed giving his victims a false sense of hope."

She paused, the sad sorrow in her eyes was replaced with pure anger and rage.

"During this time I managed to slip my hands free from the ropes that kept my hands cuffed together and instantly jumped up to knock out Leader cold as well as take out the guards with their own weapons. After, I ran to Aiden, who merely stared at me before disappearing into the shadows."

Rachel could feel empathy for Serena, she lost the one she held dear to her heart.

"So what'd you do next?"

"Before I left, I managed to destroy the machine to prevent further use of its cruel purpose. After wandering the winter forest for a bit, I stumbled upon a Kids Next Door patrol, who took me in. Global Command deemed the mission a success and the facility as well occupants inside destroyed… but now it turns out that we were wrong."

Serena now looked down at her bracelet.

"And this bracelet you ask, this bracelet was from him… He gave it to me a day before the mission; it serves as a constant remainder to me of the sacrifice he made…"

Rachel then felt a small tear develop in her own eyes.

"Hey, maybe you should get some rest, it's been a rough day."

She then signaled for the armed guards outside to escort her to the infirmary.

As soon as Serena exited Rachel turned to Nigel.

"Everything makes sense now, the kidnapped scientists, this war, the mysterious figures, everything…"

"What do you propose we do Rachel?" Questioned Nigel.

"We'll figure something out.

A battered teen entered a large facility, still recovering from his encounter with the Kids Next Door.

His superior was enraged the minute he saw him.

"What on Earth happened to you?!" Leader yelled, standing up from his high chair.

Chamenos nearly jumped back, he'd never seen Leader in such rage.

"Well, it appears some minor complications have occurred and she… erm… managed to escape."

"Well how did that happen?" Leader scolded, now disappointed in Chamenos.

"She kind of ambushed me and… um… had the help of that bald boy and blonde girl."

Leader then calmed down and sat back down on his chair, his cold voice continued.

"I see… it turns out those two operatives may prove of more use than I previously thought" he then ringed up Father on screen.

"What do you want this time Leader?"

Leader grinned, "I'd like you to send some of your Teen Ninja agent's into the Moon Base to kidnap Numbuh 900, and also Numbuh 1 and 362 if the situation permits. If you fail me, the deal is off."

Father was enraged, and almost shot a fire ball at the screen.

"Why you little! I thought all I had to do was get those meddling brats to retreat back to the Moon Base!"

Leader giggled. "You seem to misunderstand, that was merely a distraction that would further my conquest… I mean your conquest for total world domination. Now fetch me the girl please or I'll withdraw my offer."

Father glared at the young teen. "Whatever." The transmission then went static.

"What a tool." Leader muttered to himself

Immediatley after the transmission ended, Chameno questioned Leader, something he rarely did.

"What's so important about this girl?"

"Oh you'll see." The well decorated Leader teased, now wishing he didn't give his subjects the ability to think on their own.

Rachel was alone doing her own research in the Moon Base library. She had ordered Nigel to take a break which he met with fierce resistance before he finally let up. No one was in higher authority then the Supreme Leader, not even the legendary Numbuh 1.

She searched the KND database, and brought up the files of all the kidnapped scientists which totaled up to five on the computer's large screen. She noticed that all of them were part of Project: M.M.A.C.P which stood for Mind Manipulation and Control program. The research done in the program was designed to give commanders total control over their soldiers in the field of combat through brain waves, while also allowing the combatants to make more intelligent decisions on their own. It was also meant to disrupt enemy communication as well as the mental state of enemy soldiers. The program was aimed at making the Kids Next Door military more efficient, not to indoctrinate the whole human race. The project was highly controversial, for it involved volunteer operatives to be experimented on, many of whom became psychologically unstable. One of the first thing's Rachel did when she was appointed Supreme Leader was scrapping the project, deeming it inhumane and too dangerous for further research.

Although the program was scrapped, the scientists who worked on the project still possessed knowledge of its details. She brought up the name of the scientists who betrayed the Kids Next Door on screen. On their files they were marked "terminated" as they were considered traitors to the organization. They too worked on Project: M.M.A.C.P, alongside the kidnapped scientists.

She murmured to herself. "Are you kidding me… don't tell me those scientists are in on it too."

Before she made her final judgment about the scientists, she realized they were kidnapped, opposed to the ones who supported Leader and the Hasayan's who simply disappeared.

It was all clear now, the reason why Leader kidnapped the scientists from the Deep Sea Lab was because his old conversion machine and supporter scientists were destroyed by Numbuh 900.

"I knew that's why I never liked that stupid program. I always figured that its knowledge would get into the wrong hands…"

Rachel exited the library and strayed down the hallway that led to her office that she hadn't entered in almost a month.

She entered her office, and was surprised to find that it lacked the stacks of papers she expected to be piled up. It was cleaned up by her assistance so that she could focus her mind on the war effort.

"Thank god…" She muttered to herself, taking a deep breath before sitting on her comfortable chair and stretching.

In the vents just above her office, several teens had managed to enter the base.

"Infiltration success, proceeding to apprehend Numbuh 900, shall I also snatch that brat Rachel T. Mckenzie?" Cree whispered into her communicator.

"That can wait, priority is Numbuh 900." Father replied on the other side of the device.

...TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED...